Battery mechanism for looms



Aug. 16, 1949. H. w. THATCHER ETAL 2,479,545

BATTERY MECHANISM FOR LQOMS Filed Jan. 15, 1947 Z-Sheets-Sheet 1 f 12 a Z INVENTORS Z HARRY W THATCHER l IQ. EDWARD c NICHOLS Aug. 16, 1949. H. w. THATCHER ET AL 2,479,545

BYATTERY MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Sheets-Sheet'Z Filed Jan. 13, 1947 INVENTORS Patented Aug. 16,1949

BATTERY MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Harry W. Thatcher,

Hopedale, and Edward C.

Nichols, Upton, Mass, assignors to Draper Corporation, I-Iopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application January 13, 1947, Serial No. 721,744

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to automatic bobbinchanging weaving looms, and more particularly to an improved bobbin-battery mechanism for such looms.

Looms of the type to which the present invention is applicable comprise a rotatable bobbin battery which may contain a plurality of reserve weft-filled bobbins for automatic insertion into one or more shuttles as replacements for exhausted or empty bobbins. There is provided means rotatably supporting the battery, automatic means acting to transfer a full bobbin to a shuttle when necessary, and means for rotating the battery after each bobbin-transfer to position a succeeding reserve bobbin in transfer position. Additionally, as an aid in assuring proper motion of the bobbin during transfer into the shuttle, there is provided a bobbin guide in the vicinity of the head of the reserve bobbin held in transfer position. As an aid in causing threading of the thread of a transferred bobbin into the shuttle eye there may be a thread guide disc and a thread holder. The thread or yarn end extending from each bobbin in the battery is passed over the edge of the thread guide disc and secured on or to the thread holder.

Immediately following the transfer of a bobbin from the battery the latter is rotated forwardly, usually by a feed pawl pivoted on the transferrer and acting on a ratchet-wheel on the battery, to move the next bobbin into position for transference into a shuttle. This position of a bobbin is commonly termed transfer position. A holding pawl is provided to engage and hold the battery from retrogressive rotation during bobbin transfer.

In prior constructions of the type briefly discussed hereinabove, the bobbin moved into transfer position through rotation of the battery was allowed to come in contact with the bobbin guide. Under certain circumstances it was found that loom vibration caused relative motion between the bobbin and the guide, with a resultant slow rotation of the bobbin about its axis. Rotation of the bobbin caused the thread to unwind from, or to wind onto, the bobbin. Since the thread end was secured to the thread holder, rotation of the bobbin in a direction tending to wind on the thread resulted in the thread being broken. Rotation in the opposite direction resulted in the thread forming a loop and becoming entangled with the shuttle box, picker, or other parts and being broken. In either instance the inevitable result was failure of the shuttle to thread upon the bobbin being subsequently transferred to the shuttle and failure of the shuttle to leave a weft upon being picked, and loom stoppage ensued through action of the weft-fork stop-mechanism. Such loom stoppages are undesirable from every standpoint.

The above described undesirable rotation of bobbins in a battery resulted in a variety of remedies being developed to cure the trouble. Various means were developed to hold the bobbins firmly against rotation; and other means were developed to prevent the next-tobe-transferred or lowermost bobbin from contacting the bobbin guide. Some of these devices were found to be impractical; and others while partly successful, sufiered the defect that wearing of parts of the devices or of the loom allowed the troublesome bobbin rotation to again commence.

With the above defects in the prior art structures in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide means which overcome the defects and objectionable features of such structures. It is a further object of the invention to provide means which positively positions the rotary battery of a loom with the bobbin in transfer position out of contact with the bobbin guide and which is capable of adjustment to compensate for wear of the parts. It also is an object to provide for new or worn looms a bobbin transferrer having stop means thereon capable of precise adjustment and effective to cause the bobbin in transfer position to be held out of contacting relation with respect to the bobbin guide. Another object is to improve generally automatic bobbin-changing looms having rotary bobbin batteries. The above mentioned objects and others that will hereinafter appear are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is disclosed in the following description considered together with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view in elevation of a portion of a rotary battery and appurtenant loom parts, with devices applied thereto in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of structure, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, with portions broken away;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a part of a transferrer and ratchet-wheel stop tooth structure according to the invention, with the parts in exploded relationship;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a transierrer and ratchet-wheel stop tooth structure according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side View of a transierrer and ratchet wheel stop tooth structure according to the invention and illustrating the adjustability of the structure; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-4; of Fig, 4.

In the drawings certain conventional structure is illustrated solely as an aid in understanding the present invention. Therein is shown a ba tery stand l9 adapted to be supported upon the loom frame (not shown). Affixed to the stand as by means of a nut H is a long pivot 52 upon which is mounted for free rotation the bobbin disc M. This disc, in conjunction with a second disc (not shown) supports and carries the bobbins which are to be usedsuccessively as replacements for exhausted bobbins during loom operation. The bobbins l6, H, are inserted into the magazine with their butt ends seated in respective seats l8 formed in disc M. The stand it) has a flange 252 which extends about 'a considerable portion of thexperiphery of disc M to insure the bobbin butts being retained intheir respective seats, and for other reasons not here of importance. Flange 23- terminates at point 22 on the lower edge of the discsufficientiy far back :along the periphery thereof to provide for the bobbins a clearpath of exit from the battery. At the front of the stand flange 2B is terminated at'any suitable point Fixed on the stand ii) is a stub shaft 28 which rotatabl-y supports a:transferrer 25. The transferrer is normally maintained with its head at raised to the .p-osi tionindicated in l, by a spring 3i, but is movable under the action of force applied to its depending latch armtE to force a bobbin 33 held .in'transferposition under head 3% downwardly out of the battery and into the shuttle 34. The force required to move the transierrer 28*downwardly to transfer bobbin 33 into and bobbin 3% out of shuttle and to tension spring fil isapplied to arm- 32 through a latch structore-35 pivoted to arm 32 and movable upon call for bobbin replacement into the path of a hunter 3? on the loom lay. The exhausted bobbin 38 in the shuttle is ejected from the shuttle by the incoming bobbin in usual manner. Affixed to the stand it? is a bobbin guide 38 arranged to guide the-bobbin in its movement from the battery downwardly toward the shuttle. This guide is arranged to lie close to the rings ll! of the bobbin 38 and guidesthe bobbin through contact with the rings as the bobbin is transferred downwardly by transferrer 28. The bobbin guide may be aided by a conventional swinging bobbin support 39.

The battery is provided with a ratchet-wheel '32 preferably formed as an integral part ofdisc l4 and arranged for rotating the battery to position successive'bobbins in transfer position under head-3E5. To drive or rotate the. ratchet-wheel and battery there is provided a feed pawl 44 having a laterally extending tooth 45 arrangedto coact with the ratchet-wheel. Pawl e l-is pivottally mounted on a pivot 48 carried by trans! ferrer 28, and is carried downwardly in its nonworking strokes by the transferrer. As the pawl iscarried down it rocks about its pivot 48 and becomes disengaged-frornthe ratch-wheel, the latter in the meantime being yieldingly restrained from rotation by a holding pawl 55] pivoted as at 52 on stand ll). As the transferrer and feed pawl 44 are returned to the .position indicated in Fig. 1 following a bobbin transfer the feed pawl is stressed to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l by means of aspring 45. (see Fig. 2), and tooth 46 is guided into engagement with a new tooth on the ratchet-wheel 42 by suitable guide means 47 on the holding pawl, whereby the ratchet-wheel and battery are rotated sufficiently to position the next succeeding reserve bobbin under the transferrer head. During this rotation of the ratchet-wheel, holding pawl 50, being pressed into engagement with the ratchet-wheel only by its unbalanced weight, yields and enters a new inter-tooth space of the ratchet-wheel. As the bobbins in the battery are gradually used in replenishing the loom shuttle during weaving, the battery is periodically re-loaded with additional bobbins.

The hereinabove enumerated structure and its operation are conventional and well known and understood by those skilled in the art. It may be like or similar to that disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,259,768, to which reference may be made for a more extended description of the conventional parts and their mode of operation. As noted hereinabove, it is common with mechanisms of. the type described for the bobbin in transfer position to engage the bobbin guide, with the undesirable results described. By the present invention there is'provided structure which positively precludes vibratory contact of the bobbi. guide and the bobbin in transfer position.

According to the invention there is provided onthe transferrer a tooth which may be precisely set to engage the ratchet-wheel of the battery and act as a stop to prevent the battery rotating or movin the bobbin in transfer position into contact with the bobbin guide. Referring to the drawings, the transferrer 28 has provided. near the head thereof a pivot pin 54 on which is pivotaliy mounted a ratchet-wheel stop tooth'ES having a mounting bore 58 therein and further comprising a cam follower 6E). Pivot pin 56 may be an extension of the conventional transferrer fork, or may be a separate pin, either formed integrally with the transferrer or attached thereto in any suitable manner. A recess 62 is formed at the upper face of the head 30 of the transferrer (Fig. 3) into which thebase portion of tooth 5E fits. Tooth 55 is provided with a bore 5 3 (Fig. 6) into which is fitted a compression spring 66., This spring is arranged to .bearagainst the bottom of a recess 5"! formed in the lower face of recess 62 and to rock the tooth in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, as will be evident from. an examination of that figure. Tooth 56 is, when assembled on pivot pin 54, arranged to successively contact individual teeth of ratchet-wheel as indicated in Fig. 1, becoming disengaged therefrom only when the transferrer is lowered to transfer a bobbin. To force tooth 56 into positive stopping relationship with a tooth of the ratchet-wheel and to .position the latter and the battery with the lowermost bobbin clearing the bobbin guide 38, there isprovided on the transferrer a cam 68 arranged to bear against follower 55 and adjustab-ly. position tooth 55 with respect to the ratchet-wheel. vCam 68 is slidably guided on a ledge 10 formed on the transferrenand is provided with a cap screw anchor '12 turned into a tapped hole 73 in the cam and riding in a slot 74 formed in the transferrer. The screw is adapted to have its head turned tightly against the transferrenwhereby'cam SB may be fn'ctionally held to the side of the transferrer and thus secured inadjusted position along ledge 10.

To arrange the parts in positionfor operation; screw 12 is loosened, cam 58 is movedalong ledge ll! and into contact with follower 60, and the movement continued againsttheforceexerted by spring 55 until tooth-56. engages a toothof the ratchet-wheeland movesitto a position at which thelowermost. bobbin inethe battery is clear of the bobbin guide 38. Thereafter screw 12 is tightened, and the structure is then in condition for operation. Tooth 56 will after each bobbin transfer stop the ratchet-wheel and battery with the lowermost bobbin clear of guide 38. When the several interengaging parts have worn to an extent allowing occasional contact of a bobbin with guide 38, the cam may readily be re-positioned to again cause tooth 56 to stop the ratchet-wheel with the lowermost bobbin fully clearing the bobbin guide. In Fig. 5 dotted lines indicate one position to which the parts may be relatively adjusted, illustrating the wide latitude of adjustment possible.

Having fully disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, what we claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom having a rotary bobbin battery and a ratchet-wheel thereon, in combination therewith; a bobbin transferrer, a battery feed pawl and means supporting the pawl on the transferrer, a holding pawl engageable with said ratchet wheel, a pivot on said transferrer, a ratchetwheel stop tooth mounted on said pivot, and adjustable means forcing said tooth into engagement with a tooth of said ratchet wheel.

2. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom having a rotary bobbin battery and a ratchet-wheel thereon, in combination therewith; a bobbin transferrer, a pivot on said transferrer, a ratchetwheel stop tooth mounted on said pivot, a spring between said transferrer and said tooth tending to rotate the tooth out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and adjustable means on said transferrer forcing said tooth into stopping position with respect to the ratchet-wheel.

3. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom having a rotary bobbin battery holding bobbins including one bobbin in transfer position, a fixed l bobbin guide below the battery to guide the bobbin during bobbin-change, a transferrer to effect bobbin-change, means including a ratchet-wheel and pawl to rotate said battery to position successive bobbins in transfer position, a holdin pawl engageable with said ratchet wheel, interengaging relatively movable means one on said transferrer and a second on said battery acting to positively position said battery with said one bobbin out of contact with said guide, and adjustable means accurately positioning said sec ond means relatively to said one means to assure continued absence of contact between said bobbins and said guide.

4. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom having a rotary bobbin battery and a ratchet-wheel thereon, a holding pawl for the ratchet-wheel and arranged to yieldingly resist rotation of the battery, a bobbin transferrer, a ratchet-wheel driving pawl and means pivotally supporting the pawl on the transferrer for driving engagement with the ratchet-wheel, a ratchet-wheel stop tooth and means supporting the stop tooth on the transferrer for movement relative to the transferrer, and adjustable means engaging the moving stoptooth and forcing the same into stopping position relative to the ratchet-wheel.

5. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom, a battery stand and pivot, a rotary battery mounted on said pivot, a ratchet-wheel arranged to rotate said battery means to rotate the ratchet-wheel, holding-pawl means arranged to hold said ratchet-wheel against reverse rotation, a fixed bobbin guide on said stand below said battery,

a bobbin in transfer position in said battery, a ratchet-wheel stop tooth and means movably supporting the tooth on said transferrer, and adjustable means positioning said tooth in stopping contact with said ratchet-Wheel and preventing contact of said bobbin in transfer position with said bobbin guide.

6. For a loom provided with a rotary bobbin battery including a driving ratchet-wheel, in combination therewith; a bobbin transferrer, a ratchet-wheel stop tooth and means pivotally supporting the tooth on the transferrer, a spring on said transferrer engaging and tending to rotate the stop tooth out of ratchet-wheel stopping position, and adjustable cam means on said transferrer engaging and positively positioning said stop tooth in ratchet-wheel stopping position.

7. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom having a rotary bobbin battery, a ratchet Wheel for rotating the battery, means to actuate the ratchet Wheel to rotate the batter including a bobbin transferrer and a battery feed pawl movable with said transferrer and engaged with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, and in combination therewith, means for maintaining the battery in relatively immovable position between advancing move- -lents thereof comprising a holding pawl engageable with the ratchet wheel teeth for preventing rotation of the battery in at least one direction and a stop tooth forming a functional part of the transferrer and engageable with the ratchet wheel teeth for preventing rotation in the opposite direction and means for effecting a a bobbin transferrer,

relative adjustment between the said stop tooth and the holding pawl.

8. In an automatic bobbin-changing loom having a rotary bobbin battery, a ratchet wheel for rotating the battery, means to actuate the ratchet wheel to rotate the battery including a bobbin transferrer and a battery feed pawl movable with said transferrer and engaged with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, and in combination therewith, means for maintaining the battery in relatively immovable position and for preventing vibration of bobbins held therein between periodic advancing movements thereof comprising a holding pawl engageable with the ratchet wheel teeth for holding the battery against rotation in at least one direction and a stop tooth forming a functional part of the transferrer and engageable with the said ratchet wheel teeth for preventing rotation of the battery in the opposite direction, and means for effecting a relative adjustment between the said stop tooth and the holding pawl such that the ratchet wheel shall, after transfer and advance of the battery to position a new bobbin, be restrained against any substantial movement in either direction,

HARRY W. THATCHER. EDWARD C. NICHOLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

